TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – The wait to know which Tampa Bay Rays players would make the 2023 MLB All-Star roster is finally over!
That’s right, Rays fans! On Sunday evening, it was announced that fan favorites Randy Arozarena, Yandy Díaz and Shane McClanahan were named to this year’s All-Star Game roster.
For Arozarena and Díaz, this game marks a special one, as it will be their MLB All-Star Game debut.
Meanwhile, this marks McClanahan’s second consecutive selection for the star-studded game after being invited to the Midsummer Classic roster as a result of Player Balloting. However, he won’t be able to participate after being listed on the 15-day injury list Saturday.
Additionally, Arozarena will also be going head-to-head against the league’s hardest hitters in the 2023 Home Run Derby. He becomes just the third player in Tampa Bay franchise history to participate in the derby, joining Evan Longoria (2008) and Carlos Peña (2009).
Ranking among the American League (AL) leaders in on-base percentage (OBP), on-base plus slugging (OPS), runs batted in (RBI), and walks through July 1, his five games with four or more RBI this season are tied for most in MLB with fellow Ray, Isaac Paredes.
Arozarena will become the second outfielder in Rays franchise history to receive a fan-elected start alongside Carl Crawford in 2010.
Díaz, who ranks among the AL leaders in batting average (AVG), on-base percentage, and on-base plus slugging through July 1, is the only first baseman in Rays history to win a fan election and the second infielder to do so, joining Evan Longoria in 2009-10.
Over 17 starts this season, McClanahan has pitched a 2.53 ERA, holding his opponents to two runs or fewer in 14 of his 17 outings. According to the Rays, opponents are hitting .211 (74-for-351) against him this season.
For this year’s voting, the Rays had nine players on the ballot: Yandy Díaz, Brandon Lowe, Isaac Paredes, Wander Franco, Christian Bethancourt, Randy Arozarena, Josh Low, Jose Siri and Harold Ramírez.
The 2023 MLB All-Star Game between the best in the American and National leagues will take place on Tuesday, July 11 in Seattle, Washington.
